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Valentines-Day greetings!
This is a VERY busy month for us, as befits the time of year when everyone seems to be thinking about sex and romance. On the big V-Day itself we have two choices for you: a couple's massage class, and our Otherworldly Erotic Reading at Borderlands. Below you'll find all of our events (many co-sponsored with Good Vibes), info on a rare Bay area visit by Bridgett Harrington, our staffer Charlie Glickman's sex ed class at CIIS, Carol's visit to OneTaste, and more.
Love each other and love yourselves!
xox--Carol and the CSC staff
In this newsletter:
Otherworldly Erotic Reading -- 2/14
*COUPLES MASSAGE CLASS -- 2/14
*Sexy Spanking with Selina Raven -- 2/19
*Getting to Hot: Safety, Communication and Negotiation for Us All with Bridgett Harrington -- 2/19
*Aural Sex with Midori-- 2/20
*Erotic Macramé: Creative Decorative Bondage with Bridgett Harrington -- 2/21
*Take My Breath Away: Breath and Air Flow Play with Bridgett Harrington -- 2/24
*Electrify and Deepen your Sexual Connection for Couples -- 2/26
*Declaring Our Erotic: An Erotic Writing Workshop -- 2/27
EROTIC READING CIRCLE -- 2/28
SAVE THE DATE -- March and beyond
YOGAPLAY FOR MEN -- 3/5
THE WET SPOTS RETURN! -- 3/16
OTHER EVENTS OF INTEREST
*Carol Queen at OneTaste with "Words that Talk to the Clit and the Cock: Erotic Writing and Why it Matters" -- 2/20
City Art's Erotic Art Show
*Human Sexuality Course at CIIS
Remember: New events (which have not appeared in a previous newsletter or whose details have changed) are now marked with a *star* so you can more easily see them.
*****
Wednesday, February 14th at 7:00 pm --The OTHERWORLDLY EROTIC READING, with Patrick Califia, Midori, Blake C. Aarens, MI Blue, emceed by Carol Queen
Valentine's Day is all-too-frequently full of roses and cow-eyed couples. So come proudly independent or bring your significant other(s) and join us at Borderlands for the Otherworldy Erotic Reading! Several readers will bring you speculative fiction coupled with raunch, emceed by author, educator, co-founder of The Center for Sex and Culture <http://www.sexandculture.org/> and all-around sex goddess Carol Queen! After the readings we'll head off to Killowatt (3160 16th Street) for some fun but deliberately completely un-romantic cocktails. Obligatory disclaimers: The reading is for those 18 and over, please, and the cocktails are for those 21 and over.
At Borderlands Books, 866 Valencia St., SF -- http://www.borderlands-books.com/
Donations for CSC will be gratefully accepted, though not required.
AND!
*Wednesday, February 14, 6:30-9:30 pm -- COUPLES MASSAGE CLASS
Looking for a fun sexy way to connect with your love this Valentines? Give each other the gift of touch!
Learn how to combine therapeutic and sensual touch, set the mood, and improve communication during a playful and informative 3 hour class. Using a variety of massage techniques, we will also go over such topics as how to keep your hands from getting achy and sore, props for spicing up your massage, the language of touch, and fitting massage into your everyday life.
Participants are clothed at all times and asked to wear unrestricting, comfortable clothes.
$100-150 (sliding scale) per couple. To RSVP contact wendy@healthembodied.com
About the Teacher: Wendy Blackburn is a Certified Acupressurist with a long history of using touch for relaxation and healing. She grew up giving and getting massage before turning to bodywork as a career. She draws her teaching material from her personal interests in sensuality, sexuality, and interpersonal communication as well as her professional massage training in both the US and Thailand. A staff therapist at St. James Infirmary since 2006, she also runs her own full-time private practice in both San Francisco and Oakland. For more information see her website at www.HealthEmbodied.com
*****
Thursday, 2/15 -- BEAR APPRECIATION NIGHT at Good Vibes/Polk Street! Bear-a-licious readings to celebrate the Bear Conference!
Otters and Bears and Wolves... Oh My!
an erotic reading featuring Patrick Califia, Ian Phillips, Simon Sheppard, and Greg Wharton. Hosted by Dr. Carol Queen
When: Thursday, February 15, 2007
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Where: Good Vibrations Polk Street Store
1620 Polk Street (at Sacramento Street)
(415) 345-0400
No charge.
See the super-sexy flyer: http://www.goodvibes.com/Content--The-O-Tapes--id-2082
*****
*Monday, February 19, 8-10 pm -- SEXY SPANKING with Selina Raven
$25
Good Vibrations- Berkeley
Ever wanted to try “a little slap and tickle” but didn’t know how to start? Dominatrix Extraordinaire Selina Raven will show you how to add spanking to your foreplay repertoire. She’s got all sorts of tips to share, including how to make it about pleasure instead of pain, combining spanking with other types of sexual stimulation, pacing and rhythm, and even how to make oral sex and anal play part of spanking. Whether you’re a newcomer to erotic spanking or you’re looking for some new ideas, you’ll walk away with some great ways to raise your sweetie’s temperature!
To sign up: Info at http://www.centerforsexandculture.com/pages/CSC-events-at-GV.html
AND!!
*Monday February 19th, 7-9:30pm -- GETTING TO HOT: Safety, Communication and Negotiation for Us All with Bridgett Harrington
$20, pre-register at mail@sexandculture.org
Communication is all about safewords and health issues, right? Wrong!
Let's get back to what communication is really about -- making your relationships in and out of rope hot by getting into each other's heads and really learning to share our fantasies, fears, desires, and needs. Let's talk about getting our desires met, exploring our passions, how to share the scary things, how to not make your bottom feel like shit when they can't hold a bondage pose, sex, the mysterious creature known as aftercare (and what about precare?), intimacy, and so much more.
Bio: Lee “Bridgett” Harrington is an eclectic performance artist, artist, model, spiritual and erotic educator, gender radical and author of "Shibari You Can Use: Japanese Rope Bondage and Erotic Macramé". Well known for hir fun and informative approach to education, ze approaches sexuality as yet another art to master, or simply an art to enjoy to its fullest! Ze has been an active part of the international kink and sex positive communities for over 11 years, and hir stories make people laugh while showing you that eroticism can be as serious, sexy, or silly as you make it. Bridgett's writings and photography have appeared in numerous anthologies including "Dark Moon Rising: Pagan BDSM and the Ordeal Path", and hir image has been seen everywhere from PlayBoy TV to the pages of Skin Two Magazine. for more, see http://www.ropelover.com/educator.php
*****
*Tuesday, February 20, 8-10 pm -- AURAL SEX with Midori
$25
Good Vibrations- Polk St.
The brain is the biggest sex organ, and the voice can be a power tool to create the hottest scenes. Midori will show you how to use the hypnotic magic of voice to seduce your lover long before you enter the bedroom or the dungeon. Learn how to suggest, command, tease and take control through her practical exercises, tips and secrets for aural seduction.
To sign up: Info at http://www.centerforsexandculture.com/pages/CSC-events-at-GV.html
*****
*Wednesday February 21st, 7-9:30pm -- EROTIC MACRAME: Creative Decorative Bondage with Bridgett Harrington
$20, pre-register at mail@sexandculture.org
Imagine the human body as your canvas, and rope as your paints… let’s create art! From body harnesses to creative chest harnesses, rope corsets to beautifully applied crotch ropes and rump bindings, we’ll look into some ways to turn yourself or your partner into a sight to be seen. We will also look at ways to accent and add decorative details to other forms of rope bondage. Bring at least two pieces of 25-30ft rope with you (we recommend 6-8mm) for hands-on fun and play.
Instructor bio: See 2/19 class.
*****
Thursday, 2/22, 7 pm -- With Good Vibrations -- THE O TAPES!
The "O" Tapes -- a spoken-word odyssey into the Female Orgasm... as seen on Showtime.
In this groundbreaking film, a diverse group of American women reveal their intimate perspectives on arousal, sex, and orgasm. Join Director Chris Arnold, Good Vibrations Staff Sexologist Dr. Carol Queen and guests for the San Francisco premiere screening, lively discussion and tasty refreshments! CSC panelists include Dr. Kathryn Ando, Dr. Charlie Glickman, and Celeste Hirschman of celesteanddanielle.com.
Screening and Panel Discussion
7:00-9:00pm at the Lumiere Theater
1572 California @ Polk Street, San Francisco
Post-Screening Reception
9-10pm at Good Vibrations
1620 Polk Street, San Francisco
415-345-0400
Tickets available for $10.00 beginning February 1st at all Bay Area Good Vibration store locations and online.
*****
Friday, 2/23, 7:30-9 pm -- THE BISEXUAL'S GUIDE TO THE UNIVERSE: Book Night with Mike Szymanski and Nicole Kristal!
Now bisexuals have their own frisky book of lists! Subititled "Quips, Tips, and Lists for Those Who Go Both Ways," author/singer/songwriter Kristal and noted bisexual activist Szymanski have covered the waterfront in The Bisexual's Guide to the Universe. Join them at Good Vibrations' Valencia Street store to celebrate the launch of their opus! Light refreshments and readings from the book, plus face time with LA-based Mike and Nicole.
No charge. 603 Valencia at 17th.
*****
*Saturday, February 24th, 1-4pm -- TAKE MY BREATH AWAY: Breath and Air Flow Play with Bridgett Harrington
$25, pre-register at mail@sexandculture.org
Breath play is the black sheep of the BDSM family -- but folks ARE doing it.
Get real. Let’s discuss why and how folks are playing, how people die from it, then plunge into the styles that exist out there, from gas masks to choking, bagging to shared breath play, tantric breathing to nooses and more. This stuff makes us hot, so fess up -- you are not alone. We will also touch on auto-erotic breath play, complicated breath play scenes, and health issues involved in breath play.
Instructor bio: See 2/19 class.
*****
*Monday, February 26, 8-10 pm -- ELECTRIFY AND DEEPEN YOUR SEXUAL CONNECTION for Couples
$45/pair
Good Vibrations- Berkeley
Do you want to ignite the fire of passion, deepen your intimacy, and experience the heights of desire that a deep sexual connection can create? In an unforgettable evening, Sex and Intimacy Coaches Danielle Harel and Celeste Hirschman, the creators of the Become an Extraordinary Lover workshops, will walk you through an intimate couple's experience. You’ll learn to comfortably share sensual intimacy and sexual intensity that will light you both on fire, make your hearts beat faster, and send you out the door wanting each other even more. You can find out all about Celeste and Danielle's sex and intimacy coaching and workshops at www.CelesteAndDanielle.com
To sign up: Info at http://www.centerforsexandculture.com/pages/CSC-events-at-GV.html
*****
*Tuesday, February 27, 8-10 pm -- DECLARING OUR EROTIC: An Erotic Writing Workshop
$25
Good Vibrations- Polk St. [CSC note: this is a single-session class, not to be confused with the 6-week class Jen is currently teaching at CSC. If you have been considering taking one of her longer sessions, this is a perfect opportunity to learn more about her work!]
Have you ever tried to write erotica and gotten stuck? Then you’ll want to catch this workshop designed to spark your creative (and other!) energies and tap into new writing realms. Jen Cross will use her experience as a published author and someone who has used writing to transform her relationship with her erotic self to help you get your words out. You’ll get more comfortable exploring and talking about sexual desires, celebrate the various and complex aspects of your sexual self, and get some practice with explicit erotic writing. Whether you write regularly, are an infrequent journaler, or used to write and would like to again, this workshop is for you! Please bring a journal or notebook and a pen. For more info about Jen, visit www.writingourselveswhole.org.
To sign up: Info at http://www.centerforsexandculture.com/pages/CSC-events-at-GV.html
*****
2/28, 7:30 pm -- EROTIC READING CIRCLE
Come join readers as they share their work! Bring something to read or just be part of the appreciative circle of listeners. This is a great place to try out new work (ask for comments if you like), or get more comfortable reading for other people. Longtime writers will bring their latest... newly inspired writers, bring that vignette you scrawled on BART while daydreaming on your way to work! Non-judgemental listening guaranteed, all orientations welcome. With Carol Queen and Jennifer Cross.
$5-up sliding scale, but no one turned away for lack of funds. Location: Center for Sex & Culture, 290 Division at 10th Street, Suite 405
*****
Monday, 2/5, 7 pm -- The return of YOGAPLAY FOR MEN with Thom Grexa Phillips! More detail at http://www.tgpraxis.net/yoga.html
************************************************
SAVE THE DATE! More info next time:
3/16 -- The WET SPOTS Return!!!
************************************************
CAROL QUEEN SPEAKS AT ONETASTE
Words that Talk to the Clit and the Cock: Erotic Writing and Why it Matters
Sex writing can be sublime, thought-provoking, raunchy, or ridiculous. It can feed stereotypes or bust them; it can be a power for sex-positive growth, a visceral way to connect your head with your body, a way to jump-start fantasy or a way to escape your own identity completely. Noted erotic author and memoirist Carol Queen will share her perspectives on written porn and erotic literature, and will include plenty of snippets of her work by way of example, and maybe inspiration.
Location: One Taste, 1074 Folsom Street (Cross Street: 7th) in San Francisco
Tuesday, 2/20, 7:45--9:45, $10-15 requested but no one will be turned away for lack of $.
*****
CITY ART GALLERY'S EROTIC SHOW thru 2/24:
City Art Cooperative Gallery
828 Valencia Street (between 19th & 20th) SF CA 94110
415-970-9900
Gallery Hours: Wed to Sun, Noon to 9 pm
City Art's seventh annual erotic art show promises a lavish display of erotic art expressing a wide range of yearnings, cravings, fantasies, and obsessions. As always, our definition of the erotic is as wide and deep as our artists' imaginations. Because all of City Art's artists reside in the Bay Area, for many years a magnet for people with sexual diversions and perversions of all sorts, this show always generates considerable heat.
*****
Human Sexuality Continuing Education Course
California Institute of Integral Studies
Mondays, April 9, 16, 23, and 30
6:30–9pm
CIIS Main Building (1453 Mission Street, San Francisco)
$125
10 CEUs (MFT, LCSW, RN)
http://tinyurl.com/2ngfpn
Erotic well-being (emotional, spiritual, mental, and physical) is an integral component of overall health. In a setting of inclusion, safety, and reflective inquiry participants examine psychological, physiological, cultural, and transpersonal dimensions of sexuality to deepen their awareness of the interconnections between sexuality and well-being. Discussion topics include understanding erotophobia, healing sexual shame, debunking the myth of the normal influence sexual development, supporting sexual diversity, addressing lesbian, gay, bisexual, gender queer (and questioning) concerns, and learning about the interrelatedness between erotophobia and social oppressions. The presenters offer substantial collective experience in these areas.
Participants also will explore common sexual and relational problems to appreciate how therapists can support their clients in making desired changes. Attention is given to the development of therapeutic skills, with a strong focus on how therapists can increase their comfort and ease with eros and thereby better support their clients’ development in a psychotherapeutic context. Individual, dyad, and group exercises also will be standard during the class experience, as will reflective journal exercises. Resources for post-workshop continued learning will be provided.
Charlie Glickman, PhD, received his doctorate in Adult Sexuality Education from the Union Institute and University in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is the current education program manager for Bay Area-based Good Vibrations, where he has worked since 1996. He also directs the education program at the Center for Sex & Culture and is certified as a sexuality educator by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors & Therapists (AASECT).
Astraea Bella Davidson, MSW, has a deep commitment to providing progressive and socially engaged psychotherapy. She earned her master’s degree in Social Work from Smith College; a bachelor of arts degree from Sarah Lawrence College; and trained at Stanford University. Astrea integrates psychodynamic, somatic, relational, and social justice approaches in healing. She is a current adjunct professor of sexuality at John F. Kennedy University.
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